Pneumatic action for musical instruments.



E. T. TURNEY.

PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. WATION TILED JUNE 19, 190B.

Patented July 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEETi L. T. TURNEY. PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEIQ, 1908. 1,033,21 6. Patented July 23, 1912.

2 SHEETS SHEET Z.

HiliiMl I 4% 5 Q7 M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE T. TURNEY, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 ARTIS'IA PIANOPLAYER COMPANY, OF MILAN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Application filed June 19, 1908. Serial No. 439,387.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE T. TURNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rock Island,.in the county of Rock Island and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PneumaticActions for Musical Instruments, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic actions particularlyadapted for use with musical instruments in which the pneumatic actionis controlled by a music sheet or record. Pneumatic actions of thischaracter usually comprise what are known in theart as a main pneumaticand a con trolling pneumatic. The main pneumatic is usually in the formof a bellows which has suitable connection by its movable member withthe piano action, while the'controlling pneumatic is provided withvalves or similar devices for controlling the operation of the mainpneumatic through the admission of air thereto, or exclusion of airtherefrom, the controlling pneumatic being itself controlled by themusic sheet, or record serving to admit air to or exclude air from thevent chamber for the controlling pneumatic.

Pneumatic piano actions must be designed with a view to meeting certainexisting conditions; they must be designed with especial reference tothe standard construction of piano case and piano action, as it isdesirable that the pneumatic action be capable of insertion into thepiano case of standard design andof ready application or attachment tothe piano act on of standard construction. The piano action requires forits proper'operat-ion that the main pneumatic possess a certain amountof power, and this power is of course dependent upon the action of thepumpers which exhaust the air from the controlling pneumatic, andthrough the controlling pneumatic from the main pneumatic, but there isa limit to the amount of power capable of being produced by footactuated pumpers, and mechanical or motor operated pumpers are entirelyout of the,

question, because with such the instrument becomes purely mechanical andthe operator has no part whatever in the playing operation and cannotgive expression to the music, as he can by the use of his feet foroperating the pump'ers. Moreover, a low de cc of vacuum or low pressureis desirabiz in instruments of this character, since high pressureincreases the friction of all "parts subjected to it, and not onlyresults of pressure, and to produce the necessary power for working thepiano action. But these large pneumatics are seriously objectionable inthat they cannot be arranged entirely within the piano case of the usualdimensions and standard design, the space being restricted. In someinstances it has been proposed to employ with a small main pneumatic alever for multiplying its power upon the piano action, but it is foundin practice that there is not room in the space available for theaccommodation of this lever, which necessarily results in placing thepneumatic higher up in the piano case to make room below it for thelever. The pneumatic then interferes with the piano case. Neither canthe width of the pneumatic be increased sufficiently to produce therequisite power, because that would add to the width of the entireattachment as much as the additional Width of each pneumatic multipliedby the number of pneumatics, which would be very considerable, and wouldmake the attachment several inches longer than the keyboard of thestandard piano; and the length of the pneumatic is limited by the spacebetween the upright bars, sometimes called stickers, of the piano actionand the fall board of the piano case.

The invention, therefore, has for one of its important objects, to soconstruct and arrange a pneumatic piano action that the requisite numberof such actions may be placed Within a comparatively small space, andwill yet be powerfulenough to operate the piano action by directconnection there with through pressure induced by foot power.

It is of course understood that in the operation of pneumatic pianoplayers, the sounding of each note results in the admission ofatmospheric air into the space wherein is created the partial vacuumdepended upon for operating the main and controlling pncumatics, andconsequently the more rap foot power,

of the degree of vacuum and the greater will be the effort or workimposed upon the feet of the player to keep up the vacuum necessary forWorking the instrument. Asbefore said, there is a limit to the degree.of vacuum that can be feasibly produced by and for that reason,difiiculty has heretofore been experienced with pneumatic automaticpiano playing attachments in keeping up the requisite degree of vacuumwhen trilling or otherwise rapidly sounding one or more notes foroperating the action as' rapidly as the music requires, since the lossof vacuum results in sluggishness in the operatic of the controllingpneumatic.

The invention therefore has for its further object to so construct andarrange the parts of the controlling pneumatic that the bleedhole orpassage commonly employed for placing the diaphragm chamber of thecontrolling pneumatic in communication with the pumpers will be so smallthat the loss of vacuum due to the opening of a large number of thesebleed-holes at one time or in rapid succession, or the prolonged openingof any one of them, will not be sufficient to naterially affect theoperation of valve mechanism the controlling pneumatic. This last namedobject involves certain subsidiary objects, and essential requirements,which will be hereinafter pointed out.

To theattainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new anduseful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features ofnovelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the severalparts hereinafter more fully ,described'and claimed and shown in theaccompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention, andin which Figure 1 is a detail View partly in section, taken on line 11of Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 4. Fig.3 is a detail bottom plan view partly in section, taken on line 3-8 ofFig. 4. Fig. 4 is a. detail s ctional view partly in elevation of animproved action of this character constructed in accordance with theprinciples of this invention and showing a portion of the mechanism towhich it is attached. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of one end of thevalve box showing the trans parent member by means of which the ventholes may be inspected. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line 6 -6of Fig. 8. Fig. 7 i s '-a detail sectional view taken on line 7 7 ofFig. .9. ,Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 isan enlarged detail sectional view taken on line '99 of Fig. 4.

' In this (xemplification of the invention,

the reference character designates a suc- 5 tion 'chamber; or what issometimes called a wind chest or trunk, which is located Within thecasing of the piano and to which the pneumatic piano actions aredetachably secured, so as to have communication therew1th, whereby thesuction or partial vacuum induced in the wind chest will operate theneumatics. As before said, each of the pneumatic actions comprises amain pneumatic and a controlling pneumatic. The main pneumatic consistsmerely of a'bellows or other like instrument 16, having a movable bottommember connected to its top member by the usual flexible sides. Thecontrolling pneumatic usually comprises a suitable fluid pressureabutment and suitable housing therein illustrated as a valve box orblock 17, containing the necessary passages, valves, etc., forcontrolling the passages between the wind chest 15 and the mainpneumatic l6, and between the said pneumatic 16 and the externalatmosphere. Referring to this valve housing in detail, it is providedwith a valve chamber 18 having a valve seat 19 therein. The valvechamber 18 opens throu h one end of the valve box 17 as at 20, andcommunicates with the wind chest or channel 15 through a passage 21 (seeFig. 8) the valve block or box 17 being secured against the wall of thechest 15. The valve box is also provided with a chamber pneumatic 16and-controlling such admission. In accomplishing this the chamber 22 isgiven communication withthe outside air through one side of the box, asat 23, and a valve seat 24 is arranged within the chamber 22 upon whichis adapted to be seated a valve 25.

A valve 26 is arranged within the chamber 18 and is adapted to be seatedupon the seat 19, and the valves 25 and 26 are connected by a suitablestem 27, a por tion of which adjacent the valve 25 is adapted to passthrough a suitable guide 28 adjacent the valve seat 24, and theextremity of the stem beyond the valve 26 is extends across wallsclosure therefor. In this way the means for controlling the admission ofair to the collapsible fluid chamber 16 is given operative connectionwith valve/26. v

The valve stem 27 is preferably located in a horizontal plane andextends across the an opening 30 in one of the valve box through thevarious chambers.

An open chamber 31 is arranged within one of the walls of the valve boxand a suitable diaphragm 32 extends across the open side of the chamberto form a closure therefor, and

is adapted to extend into said diaphragm the chamber when the air isexhausted therefrom. The extremity of the valve stem 27 is adapted toproject beyond the guide 29 and into the chamber 31 on one side of theso as to be engaged by'the diaphragm 32 9o 22 and means for admittingair to the adapted 1 to pass through a suitable guide 29 which of thechamber 18 and constitutes a diaphragm to seat the valve 26 and tounseat the valve 25. If desired. a suitable projecting member 33 may besupported by the diaphragm at the point which engages the extremity ofthe valve stem 27.

The valve box or block 17 is provided with a vent chamber 34 havingcommunication with the chamber 31 at the suction side of the diaphragm32 by means of a passage 35, and with the valve chamber 18 by means of ableed-hole 38,'which being essentially small, may be best formed in athin wafer 37 secured against one of the walls of chamber 34 in anysuitable way, with tlie bleedhole in register with chamber 18 through apassage 36 formed in the valve block between chamber 34 and chamber 18.The suction being always toward the chamliier 18, the wafer 37 will ofcourse be retained thereby snugly against the wall of the chamber 3-with the respective apertures in the ordinary tracker board in anydesired or suit able manner, preferably by means of a tubular member 40which is supported by the valve box and has connection with the chamberand to the projecting extremity of which is secured one end of aflexible tubular member 41, the other extremity of which latter issecured to the tracker board.

The bleed-hole 38 being necessarily very small, before stated, so as toavoid re ducing in a material degree the vacuum in the valve chamber 18when the admission of air to the chamber 34 results from the sounding ofone or more notes in rapid succession. such bleed-hole is liable tobecome clogged with dust, lint, and other small particles that arecontinually being drawn into the 1 instrument by the suction,and thismakes it quite essential to place the bleed hole in such a position thatits condition can be readily observed from time to time. For that reasonthe chamber 34 is formed in the front side of the controlling pneumatichousing and its outer wall is constituted by a transparent closure 35),through which the bleed-hole 38 is constantly in view.

The chamber 22 in the valve box is provided with'an opening 42 which islocated preferably between the valve seats 19 and 24, and hascommunication with the main pneumatic 10 by means of an aperture oropening 43 in the member of the pneumatic to which the valve box issecured, and with which aperture the opening 42 registers, so that theair may be exhausted from the pneumatic 16 through the openings 43, 42,and valve chamber 18 to collapse the pneumatic.

The pneumatic action may be secured to the exhaust chamber or channel 15in any desired OI suitable manner, but asimple and eflicient securingmeans will now be described.

The vent chamber 34 has connection The stationary member 44 of thepneumatic is preferably provided with a-dovetail groove 45 adjacent thefree end thereof and secured to the bottom of the chamber or channel 15is a washer 46, the edge 47 of which is flanged away from the bodyportion as shown, and the washer may be held in position by a suitablefastening screw or bolt 48 which passes through the washer and into thebottom of the chamber or chanincl 13. The greatest diameter of theflanged washer 46 is slightly less than the dovetailed portion 45, whichlatter has an opening at the end of the member 44,so that the dovetailedportion 45 may be readily slipped over the washer to cause one edge ofthe valve box 17 to stand adjacent the front wall of the chamber orchannel 15 in such a position that the opening 20 in the valve chamber18 will register with the opening 21 in the wall of the chamber orchannel 15, and a suitable fastening screw or bolt 49 may be provided,which is seated in a suitable recess 50 in the wall of the valve box,and which passes through a portion of the wall and into the wall of thechamber or channel 15 so that the entire action, including the pneumatic16 and the valve box 17 may be readily detached from the front of theinstrument by first 'detacl'iing the fastening screw 49 from the wall ofthe chamber or channel 15, after which the other extremity the ventchamber 34 will be closed against the entrance of air, and when thusclosed, the suction in the chamber or channel 15 will exhaust the airfrom the chamber 31 at the inner side of the diaphragm 32, as well asfrom the valve chamber 18, and will cause the diaphragm 32 to engage theend of the valve stem 27 to force the valve 26 againstits seat 19, andat the same time will move the valve 25 from its seat 24 to permit theoutside air to enter the pneumatic 16 through the chamber 22, opening orpassage 42, and aperture 43 to permit the pneumatic 16 to expand by thefalling of the movable member of the pneumatic. When a perforation oraperture in the record sheet passes over one of the apertures in thetracker board, it will establish communication between the vent chamber34 and the outside air through the tube 41 and tubular member M, whichwill flood the vent chamber. The air which has entered the vent chamber34 will pass into the chamber 31 on one side of the diaphragm 32 throughthe port or passage 35 and also into thevalve chamber 18 through thebleed opening 38 and port or passage 36. The port or passage 35 being ofa larger diameter than the bleed opening 38, the air will pass morerapidly into the chamber 31 to overcome the suction upon the dia phragmto render the diaphragm inactive, so that the suction in the chamber 18will unseat the valve 26 and at the same time seat the valve 25 to shutoff the communication of the chamber 22 with the outside air so that thesuction created in the valve chamber 18 by the suction in the chamber orchannel 15 will exhaust the air from the pneumatic 10 through theopening 43, port or passage 1 2, chamber 22 and valve chamber 18 tocollapse the pneumatic 16, causing the movable member thereof to beraised. As soon as the perforation in the record has passed out ofregister with the aperture in the tracker board, the chamber 31 on oneside of the diaphragm 32 will be exhausted of the air which has beensupplied thereto, so that the suction will act upon the diaphragm 32 tocause the latter to engage the extremity of the valve stem 27 to forcethe valve 26 against its seat 19, and the valve off of its scat 24 toestablish communication of the pneumatic 16 with the outside air, topermit the movable member to fall to expand the pncui'natic.

if desired, suitable packing material, such as heather washers 51 may beprovided and secured to the valves so as to produce a tight joint whenthe valves engage their seats.

The chamber or channel 15 is located within the casing of the instrumentin any desired or suitable position, and may be secured therein in anysuitable manner, but is preferably spaced :1 short distance above thekeys 52 so as to permit ready access to the keys when the actions aresecured in posh lion. and when the operator desires to manipulate thepiano by means of the keys. The chambcr'or channel 15 is spaced abovethe keys at sullicient distance to permit the pneumatic 16 to be locatedbetween the bottom of the chamber 15 and the keys, the actions bcinpsecured to the front of the chamber or channcl I?) may be readilyaccessible from the front of the instrument, and by being so located,the transparent closlllcs ill) for the vent chambers 34 will be to thefront of the instrument, and in such a pcsition that the vent chambersof each of the actions may be readily observable, there by rendering it.possible to quickly ascertain whether or not the respective valves areperforming their proper functions, and also which one of the valves isnot properly opcrating, without necessitating the dismantling ordismcmbering of any of the parts of the mechanism. The keys 52 aresupported by the ordinary key rail 53 and the sticker 54 of the pianoaction is supported from the back flange rail 55 by means of the backflange 56 and the rod or link 57 in the ordinary and usual manner, andthe hammer 58 is supported in the ordinary and usual manner by means ofthe hammer butt 59 which is supported'by the end of the sticker- Securedto the sticker 54 and projecting forwardly therefrom, is an arm 60 whichextends for some distance beyond the sticker and at a pointsubstantially at the longitn dinal center of the movable member of themain pneumatic 16 and the forward extremity of the shoe is preferablybifurcated, as at 6], with the bifurcation opening outwardly toward thefront of the instrument, the extremities of the adjacent walls of thebifurcations being rounded as Shown more clearly at 62 in Fig. 3 of thedrawings.

Secured to and depending from the movable member of the main pneumatic16 is a screw or bolt (33 which is located at substantially thelongitudinal center of the member, and this screw or bolt is providedwith a threaded extremity (34: adapted to receive a nut or collar (35.The screw or bolt 5 is adapted. to enter the bifurcation 61 of the shoe(50 when the pneumatic action placed in position, and to readily passout of the bifurcation to permit the action to be readily and quicklyremoved without interfering with any of the other portions of themechanism, the rounded portions (32 of the walls of the, bifurcationserving to direct the member 63 into the bifurcation. This bolt ormember 63 is of a length to permit the piano action to be operated bythe keys through the medium of the capstan (it; in the usual manner,that is, so as to provide a sulticient space between the top of the shoe60 and the movable member of the penumatic to permit the shoe to moveunder the influence of the hey without moving the movable member of thepneumal ic whereby the p ano action may be operated either by thepneumatic action or the keys whenever desired, M) that the hammer .38will strike the strings ll? of the instrument to sound the notes. lldesired, a suitable \vnshcv (r may be pro vided between the nut or cllar (35 and the adjacent portion of the shoe (30. With this improvedconstruction of attachment to the piano action it will be apparent thatthe greatest possible leverage is obtained for operating the sticker 54with the least possible power, due to the fact that the point ofconnection between the shoe 60 and the movable member of the pneumaticis located some distance beyond the fulcrum of the movable member of thepneumatic. It will also be noted that inasmuch as the maximum degreeofvacuum capable of being induced in the wind chest 15 by foot power isso low that a diaphragm Pd oi vt ry liberal dimensions is icquircil l'oioperating the valves, and the width or lateral thi kness of the valvebe): m block lilt'tlrllllltl lengthwise ot' the lu \'b .aid beingrestricted and not. of sulli icut area to accomin'odate a diaphragm oi'th requisite area for the described pur- POM, this diaphragm has beenplaced on the side of the valve box in each instance contiguous to theadjacent pncun'iatic where the area or dimensions of the block are notso restricted and the diaphragm of the proper \llllltll.\l()!l may beaccnuiniodated. It will further be observed that the diaphragm 32 expoed to direct atmospheric pressure on it outer him and to the partialvacuum'on llm inner st le only. tl-suri wcntly, it is more hi'l s'iliivin operation than those constructions in which it is nwrcssary to bleedthe air from both sides of the diaphragm, because with the constructionembodying this invention. the partial vacuum at the inner side orsuction side of the diaphragm is broken or relieved instantly upon theadmission of air to the chamber 34 through the tracker board or actionof the record sheet, allow 5 the valve il to open and cause the opera ofthe main pneumatic without having to bleed the air from the oppositeside of the diaphragm. The same rapidity of action ithe result when theair is bled from the uction side of the diaphragm through the bleed-hole38, as it is not necessary to admit air to the o vposite side, which isexposed to the atmosphere.

In order that the invention might be fully i understood, the details ofthe foregoing embodiment thereof have been thus specifically described,l2-it--- \Vhat I claim new is:

1. In an automatic musical instrument, a pneumati action including acollapsible thud ll-tlllllrtl, a valve chamber, a communicationiltlWtLll the val-is: ham timid if \cr. a valve ii phrn; umber, aiiiuphi clouds t the l. phr'ugrifi adapted to project iu wiu o, .i beingdirectly exposed to atmo hcric pressure on one side, means opera I flyrelated to the valve and extending into the diaphragm chamber, meanshereby the diaphragm chamber may be exluuisted to cause the diaphragm toat. the valve, means whereby the suction in the itiaphr, in chamber maybe overcome to cause the valve to imam! for allowing the said {iuidhamber torming a u. inber and l diaphragm bination 1th tin-iv i erestedwith t wunatic.

L. in an automatic m i-unient, a pneumatic action inchiding acollapsible fluid vlmmhcr, a valve ciian'il t=er, a communiincluding apassage having an exposed transparent portion, means whereby the suctionin the diaphragm chamber may be overcome to cause the suction in thevalve chamber to unseat the valve to permit the fluid chamber to becollapsed, and means operatively related to the valve for admitting airto the fluid chamber to permit the latter to expand, in combination witha piano action operatively connected with the main pneumatic.

3. In an automatic musical instrument, a pneumatic action includin acollapsible fluid chamber, a valve chain er, a communication between thevalve chamber and the fluid chamber, a valve in the chamber, a diaphragmchamber, a diaphragm constituting one wall of the chamber and forming aclosure for the chamber and adapted to project thereinto, said diaphragmbelng directly exposed on one side to atmospheric pressure, meansoperatively related to the valve and extending into the diaphragmchamber, means whereby the chamber may be exhausted to cause thediaphragm to seat the valve, said means including a chamber having avent opening leading to the valve chamber, and said chamber having anexposed transparent closure individual to the action whereby the ventopening is always visible, in combination with a piano actionoperatively connected with the main pneumatic.

4. In an automatic musical instrument, a pneumatic action comprising a.collapsible pneumatic, a valve box having a plurality of chambersincluding a valve chamber, a communication between one of the chambersand the pneumatic, the last said chamber having communication with thevalve chamber and also having an opening to the outside air, a valve inthe valve chamber for controlling the passage between the valve chamberand the chamber commu icating with the pneumatic, means for controllmgthe said an opening, a diaphragm chamber, a diaphragm in the chamber, aventing chamber having direct communication with the diaphragm, chamberand also with the valve chamber, said venting chamber being providedwith an opening in one wall, a transparent closure for the openingindividual to the act on and directly opposite to the passage leading tothe valve chamber, andmeans whereby the fluid may be exhausted from theventing chamber in the valve box to cause the diaphragm to seat thevalve and open the said opening to permit the outside air to enter thesaid pneumatic, in combination with a piano action connected with themain pneumatic.

In an automatic musical instrument, a

pneumatic action comprising a collapsible pneumatic, a valve box havinga plurality of chambers including a valve chamber, a communicationbetween one of the said chambers and the pneumatic, the last said.

chamber having communication with the valve chamber and also having anopening to the outside air, a valve in the valve chamber for controllingthe communication between the valve chamber and the pneumatic,

a valve for controlling the said air opening, a connection between thevalves, a diaphragm chamber, a diaphragm in said chamber, a ventingchamber having direct communication with the diaphragm chamber and alsowith the valve chamber, saidventing chamber being provided with anopening in one wall, a transparent closure for the opening individual tothe action and directly opposite to the passage leading to the valvechamber, said venting chamber including means whereby the fluid may beexhausted therefrom to cause the diaphragm to seat the first said valveand to unseat the second said valve to permit the outside air to entersaid pneumatic, in combination with a piano action connected with themain pneumatic.

6. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a support, apneumatic action, means for detachably securing said action to thesupport, said action including a main pneumatic, a piano action to beoperated including a movable element, an arm carried by and projectingfrom said element, said arm being provided with an open bifurcatedportion and adapted to project under the action, and means supported bythe movable member of the said pneumatic at a point intermediate theends of the pneumatic and remote from the fulcrum of said movable memberand adapted to enter the said bifurcation in the arm and also adapted tooperate the piano action.

7. In an automatic musical instrument the combination of a support, apneumatic action, means for detachably securing said ac tion to thesupport, said action including a main pneumatic, a piano action to beoperated including a movable element, an arm carried by and projectingfronrsaid clement, said shoe being provided with an 0 en bifurcatedport-ion; 1nd projecting an or the said action, there being provided apr0jection supported by and depending from the movable member of thepneumatic at a point intermediate the extremities thereof and remotefrom the fulcrum of said memben said projection being adapted to enterthe bifurcation in the arm whereby said pneumatic action will have adetachable engagement with the piano action, and an adjustable membersupported by the depending member beyond the arm and adapted to engagethe arm to actuate the piano action when the pneumatic action is coapsed.

8. In an automatic musical instrument the combination of a support, apneumatic action, means for detachably securing said action to thesupport, said action including a main pneumatic, a piano action to beoperated including a movable element, aii arm carried by and projectingfrom said element, said arm being provided with an open bifurcatedportion and adapted to pro ect under said action, there being provided aprojec tion supported by and depending from the movable member of thepneumatic at a point intermediate the extremities thereof and remotefrom the fulcrum of said member, said projection being adapted to enterthe bifurcation in the arm whereby said pneumatic action will have adetachable engagement with the piano action, and an adjustable membersupported by the depending ,rnenr. ber beyond the shoe and adapted toengage the arm to actuate the piano action when the pneumatic action iscollapsed, said piano action being also adapted for independent actionwith respect to the action of the pneumatic action.

9. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a pianoaction, a longitudinally arranged wind chest adapted to be connectedwith a plurality of piano actions, a main pneumatic opcrativelyconnected with said piano action, a controlling pneumatic, a valveoperatively related to the controlling pneumatic for controlling themain pneumatic,a housing for the controlling pneumatic and valveconnected with the wind chest, said controlling pneumatic beingdisposed'at the side of the housing inaplane crosswise of the wind chestand being movable lengthwise of the wind chest.

10. Irfian automatic musical instrument the combination of a pianoaction, a longitudinally arranged wind chest adapted to be connectedwith a plurality of piano actions, a main pneumatic opcrativelyconnected with said piano action, a controlling pneumatic embodying amovable diaphragm, a valve operatively related to said diaphragm forcontrolling the main pneumatic, a hous ing for the diaphragm and valveconnected to the wind chest, said diaphragmbeing disposed at the side ofthe housing in a plane crosswise of the wind chest and movablelengthwise of the wind chest.

11. In an automatic musical instrument the combination of a pianoaction, a wind chest adapted to be connected with a plu rality of pianoactions, a main pneumatic operatively connected with said piano action,a controlling pneumatic embodying a movable diaphragm exposed to directat u'iospherie pressure on one side and operating in an upright plane, avalve operatively related to said diaphragm for controlling the mainmcumatic. and a housing for said diaphra nn and valve removablyconnected with the said wind chest.

12. In an automatic musical instrument the comlnnation ot' a pianoaction. an oscillatory key for controlling said action. a main pnemnaticoperatively connected with said piano action. a controllii'ig pneumatic,a Valve operativeljv related to the controlling pneui'natic forcontrolling the main pneumatic, a housing for the controlling pneumaticand valve arranged above said ke v and in front of said action. saidcontrolling pneumatic being situated in a plane extendin lengthwise ofthe plane of oscillation of said key and movable'in a direction cross- 1Wise of said plane.

1 In an automatic mueical instrument the combinati of a piano action, anoscillatory key for operating said action, a main pneumaticoperativelyconnected with said. piano action, a controlling pneumatic embodying amovable diaphragm, a valve operatively related to the diaphragm forcoutrolling the main pneumatic, and a housing for said diaphragm andvalve arranged above said key and in front of said action, saiddiaphragm being situated in a plane extending lengthwise of the plane ofoscilhv tion of said key and movable in a plart crosswise of said planeof oscillation.

In testimony \vhereofl have signed my name to this specification. in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses, on this ninth day of Jane. A. l).1908.

EUG 1E T. TURNEY. \Vitnesses VH1. 11. COLLINS, C. A. Lirr'r.

